Posted: Mon 25th Jan 2010 11:06 am
Yes, the shop owners set the price, but it's up to consumers like you and me to decide if the product or service is worth the asking price. Setting the price higher may peak curiosity, but again, most likely not the curiosity of regulars, like myself. We know better because we understand that some of the time these overpriced strains are in fact re-branded common strains, possibly even altered somewhat in appearance and taste. Quite a few smokers from the UK have recently complained about imported gear from The Netherlands having been altered, mostly in weight.Stanky Danky wrote:The shop owner sets the price not the consumer. If the price is set lower they will more than than likely sell more product. However in setting the price higher it sometimes peaks the curiousity of the consumer who wants to know if it is really worth the price. People are going to buy the product regardless so your point is mute to me. Barneys has no doubt lost some business for having higher prices as is evident by several comments on this forum. In the end it's a gamble an owner takes setting his prices higher, the consumer really has no say.
This past August, some shops, including Easygoing in Maastricht, were selling a nasty version of so-called Acapulco Gold, which in all likely hood was a re-branded Strawberry Cough. I started to smoke in the early 70's, a time when strains such as AcaGold, PanaRed, and ColomboGold were plentiful. No way does the AcaGold even come close to resembling what it should have, mainly because it tasted like a stale, fruit salad. Simply nasty! Simply a rip off! Simply for cannabis tourist.
Using this website search function, one can read many posts in reference that some shops will re-brand certain strains and charge a premium. And guess who pays that premium? Not the regulars, and I will give you a little nugget: There are a couple of shops that I frequent regularly and have on occasion been warned by the bud tender the strain xx is actually a re-brand. I made a comparison and sure enough, the same gear with the only difference being the name and price, which was E2 more. One of my past favorite shops, which shall remain nameless, began doing this practice a little to often, so I decided not to go there anymore. And when speaking to some of my friends and acquaintances in that town, most have stopped going as well. Nowadays, it's mostly tourists that go there and pay the ridiculous prices. Won't be long now before they end up closing. When in town, I stop near the shop and notice that most of the time the shop is empty. My friends/acquaintances tell me the same thing and have the same opinion, any day now that shop will be closed due to lack of business.
Even though the price difference may only be E2-E3 per gram, this in my opinion is the foundation for raising overall prices, one step at a time.
Lastly, you state that the consumer has no say in the prices, true. But the consumer can affect how long the shop remains in business, and when no one buys their gear, the result is they end up going out of business, has happened before, will happen again, and in my example above, sooner for some.
But hey, people like you will continue to literally buy into this scam, and the really sad part is that you and those like minded will ignore my/our advice. So, embrace your attitude that my point is mute, and continue to be ripped off. This is one of the primary problems with cannabis tourists, and pretty much any tourist - they typically pay more primarily because they either don't know any better or they don't care. A primary reason why I halfheartedly support the idea to allow only EU citizens/residents to purchase and consume cannabis in The Netherlands. Not a problem for me, I live in the EU. This option is still being discussed within the Dutch Parliament. The only ones that will be affected by this idea would first be the non-EU cannabis tourist, then some shops, and then some other businesses such as hotels. Most of these businesses will recover, as stated in several reports, with the possible exception of those C/S's who depend on the cannabis tourist industry. IMO, most of the shops within 5 minutes walk of the Amsterdam Centraal Station would close in no time. A few other shops in cities such as Rotterdam, Eindhoven, and Maastricht would also close. I suppose all of this is mute as well.
One final thought on shops like Barney's, a shop that has evolved into a cannabis tourist trap: I remember when they first opened, what a place. Some regulars were know by name back then, but now you would have a hard time finding anyone from back in the day that frequents their shop much anymore, me included. But again, my point is mute, right? I only have 30+ years of experience to offer, but as some would say, learn the hard way grasshopper.
Peace
